Comedy Being Strangled?

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Should comedians have to rethink their gags to make sure they are not offensive?

Or should freedom of speech be allowed so they can joke about anything?

I'm thinking about Jimmy Carr and his comments about the Holocaust on his Netflix special.

Maureen Lipman fears comedy is in danger of being "wiped out". She says comedians tone down material as they worry audiences will take offence. She said that "something has to be forbidden to make you laugh… It's when you shouldn't be laughing".

Rowan Atkinson also fiercely defends freedom of speech.

Personally, I feel that freedom of speech is crucial and that comedians should be able to use any subject matter in their material

What do you think?
 
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Complex problems do not have simple solutions.

If an audience truly takes offence then the comedian will soon have no audience.

Why don't we let the audience decide instead of a very vocal minority revelling in the power to decide on their behalf?
 
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The way I see it, you pay or specifically watch a Comedian - if they offend you - then that becomes your choice as to whether you continue to go to shows, or watch via tv. We seem to be a bend over backwards for everyone else type of country “just in case” others are offended.
 
He's still touring ASAIK. There was a recent kafuffle about a venue cancelling him, but nothing in the big scheme of things.
I watch him on tik tok. Still as shocking and just as funny.
 
Big name comedians are celebrities, what they say has influence: words have consequences.

Nevertheless I strongly disagree Jimmy Carr should be cancelled, if controversial subjects are allowed to be made public, they get discussed by the public - surely that’s good
 
Bring back Benny Hill, (a bit difficult i admit as he's been dead for years), I mean his shows.
 
Jimmy Carr should be cancelled, along with all the other so-called comics that infest the airwaves nowadays.

 
Bring back Benny Hill, (a bit difficult i admit as he's been dead for years), I mean his shows.

They are back, are or were being shown on one channel. I never watched him, I found the humour mostly a bit juvenile.
 
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